title: [The pathological changes of the orbital tissue in thyroid associated ophthalmopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the morphological representation of the orbital tissue in thyroid associated ophthalmopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a retrospective case series. 138 specimens of TAO (include 77 specimens of orbital fat, 41 specimens of orbital periosteum and 20 specimens of lacrimal gland tissue) were analyzed by light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The notable hyperplasia of fat was found in orbital tissue from 73 of 77 and in lacrimal gland tissue from 12 of 20. The hyperplasia of fibrous tissue and muscular metaplasia were observed in orbital periosteum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hyperplasia of fat in TAO orbital and lacrimal gland tissue is a very important and ubiquitous pathological changes. Study on the orbital fat and prevent against the hyperplasia of fat maybe have a significance of effective to hold back proptosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Orbital Diseases, Armed Police General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China. heiyan842@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hei
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yue-yue
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult